~ politics for the people

Angela Eagle’s local Labour party suspended – but the decision may be against the rules

The decision to suspend Wallasey CLP – by Labour Party general secretary Iain McNicol – remind This Writer of the line that my local council used to put out whenever it wanted to forbid a public event: “We’ve had a complaint.”

The complaint (usually about noise) was never investigated, nor was there any evidence provided that more than one person had raised concerns – therefore there was never any proof.

We know that Wallasey CLP had voted to tell Angela Eagle not to support any action against Jeremy Corbyn, prior to the mass resignations from the shadow cabinet that launched the so-called ‘Chicken Coup’ against the leader.

This meant everything she has done with regard to this issue since – resigning from the shadow cabinet, supporting the ‘no confidence’ vote against Mr Corbyn, standing against him for the Labour leadership and supporting fabricated stories intended to undermine him – has been in contempt of the people who helped make her an MP.

Wallesey’s intention to hold a meeting, in which Ms Eagle’s deselection as a Labour candidate was likely to be approved, is widely believed to be the reason Labour’s National Executive Committee halted all CLP meetings between July 12 and the announcement of the leadership election result in September.

Now Mr McNicol has gone one further and announced the party’s suspension – apparently in order to stop it submitting motions to the party conference.

Is he justified in doing this, or has he overstepped his authority?

The answer is: We don’t know. It seems that, like my local council, he’s “had a complaint”.

Was it more than just one complaint? We don’t know.

Was the source reliable, as opposed to being from someone who could reasonably be believed to be acting to stop others from having their democratic say? We don’t know.

Was the complaint corroborated by anybody who could be seen to be neutral in this matter? We don’t know.

Did Mr McNicol take any steps to investigate the accuracy of the complaint? We don’t know.

If the answer to any of these questions is “no”, then Mr McNicol’s judgement is not only questionable; there may be grounds for him to face disciplinary proceedings of his own.

Furthermore:

Did Mr McNicol issue any written warnings to Wallasey CLP with regard to this complaint, in accordance with Chapter 6 of the Labour Party Rule Book? It seems not.

And has he started an investigation into the complaint, in accordance with Chapter 6 of the Rule Book? Again, it seems not.

Under these conditions, the suspension cannot be supported and a complaint about the NEC and Mr McNicol would seem to be in order.

One wonders if an allegation of misconduct by them will be taken “very seriously” too.

Wallasey Labour party has been suspended amid allegations of bullying and intimidation.

It is understood that the move follows recent unrest among grassroots members and moves to deselect the MP Angela Eagle after she announced she planned to challenge leader Jeremy Corbyn.

A North West Labour spokesperson confirmed the suspension and said: “Any complaints of bullying or intimidation and allegations of misconduct are always taken very seriously.”

The suspension means the Labour Party regional office will take over administration of the local Constituency Labour Party.

The decision was approved by the Labour Party general secretary Iain McNicol, and will stop the local party submitting motions to the party conference due to be held in Liverpool in September.

It has previously been reported that members of Ms Eagle’s constituency party had claimed there had been “threats of violence” in a row over the party’s leadership.

There are likely to be a lot more suspensions to come. Wallasey CLP in accordance with members wishes was likely to deselect Eagle and the NEC decides that they (the CLP and the membership) will not be given that opportunity? I hope Len McCluskey’s call from Unite for Mandatory reselection gains momentum to stop these undemocratic activities by the Labour Right wing. They made their bed, now they should be made to lie in it. As for the meetings between those right wingers and Paddy Ashdowne/Tim Farron, with any luck they will get the backing of the 50 richest Labour Party donors and make their move to leave the Labour Party and form an alliance with Lib Dems. It’s all smoke and mirrors of course, just a huge bluff, no way would the self serving right wingers relinquish their seats of power or the donations from the Union members. One can hope of course!

I was looking through the rules to see how they’ve done it. Chapter 6 applies only to individual discipline and is irrelevant to CLP suspensions. Chapter 1, Clause VII, 3 A gives the NEC, not the General Secretary the right to suspend a party unit. Rule 1 VII 5 gives the NEC the power to delegate this decision to an officer or sub committee. All the rules about due process are in Chapter 6, so people get the right of notice and defence but organisations do not. Another loophole as is the case in the “automatic” expulsion rules, no hearing, no defence. Chakrabrti made it clear that this was unacceptable and legally unsafe.

From the 2016 Rule Book:
Chapter 1, Clause VII, 3: “The Leader shall be the person registered as the Party’s Leader for legal purposes.” There is no 3A

By 1 VII 5, it seems you mean: “The Leader shall, as a member of the NEC, uphold and enforce the constitution, rules and standing orders of the Party and ensure
the maintenance and development of an effective political Labour Party in parliament and in the country.”

Chapter 6 is the part relating to Disciplinary Procedures; that’s its title. Clause I refers to national action by the party – as taken by the general secretary (acting, we must conclude, on behalf of the NEC). There are no other rules that relate to this, so where this part of the Book refers to “an individual member or members”, this may be taken to refer to party grouping including CLPs.

I am sick and tired listening to every Blairite Rebel blaming me and every other Labour Movement Supporter of Jeremy Corbyn for the disintegration
of the Labour Party, let us get one thing straight Thee Labour Party has never been Stronger it is New Labour Led by the Disgusting DP Watson Eagle Smith Beckett Harman Cooper and the rest of this Coven who are Destroying our Labour Party Blairites are fighting to maintain their Elitist Rank and Despise Us the Membership and Jeremy John and all others who have stood strong against them, has anyone in this Country no matter what Political persuasion ever heard Jeremy Corbyn utter a word about splitting the Labour Party if He does not Win this abhorrent challenge or lying and making up stories about other MPs or their supporters NO is the only answer, Smith is pleading that he is the best man for the Leadership 172 Traitors to the Labour Membership may agree I do not nor do I believe The Grass Roots Rank and File Membership or their Unions, the Tyrants launching this coup are not Democratic nor do they Love the Labour Party They Love Themselves and their Tory Allies

The Westminster Blairite Clique have learned absolutely nothing from the catastrophic demise of the Labour Party / New Labour Party in Scotland, the people and grass roots spoke they the Elite did not listen ever they knew best it was like watching that sketch Harry Enfield did No!No!No! You don’t wanna do it your way this is what you wanna do Yes Yes that’s right you little people wanna do it our way, Westminsters New Labour Clique are going to learn a very very Harsh Brutal lesson We the Workers the people who pay you MPs of all Parties Salary plus the outrageous expenses scam yes it is still getting abused Smith Watson Eagle you and your ilk will destroy yourselves you will never ever destroy the Labour Movement under Jeremy Corbyn, your Hubris is mind boggling get out of our Movement.